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Innovations Symposium Showcases Advances in Research

Researchers, clinicians and industry partners from around the globe gathered in San Francisco for the Kenneth Rainin Foundation’s 6th annual Innovations Symposium on July 24-25, 2017. This year’s event focused on early onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). A slate of distinguished speakers and Foundation grantees presented the latest advances in basic science and novel insights into clinical applications.

“This annual event is focused on bringing science closer to the patient by giving researchers an opportunity to hear new perspectives on IBD,” said Laura Wilson, PhD, Rainin Foundation Director of Health Strategies and Ventures. “The Symposium encourages collaborative thinking and network building and is strengthening the possibilities of what the field can achieve together.”

The two-day event is designed to spark cross-disciplinary discussions. The Symposium’s first-ever debate explored whether IBD is the same disease in children and adults, and how that affects treatment and management of the disease. On the second day, a panel of industry leaders from Genentech, Stanford University’s SPARK Program, and Janssen Research & Development joined with academic researchers to share ideas for how to best work together.

Laura Wilson also gave attendees a preview of the Foundation’s new online tool to inspire collaboration in research. As the Foundation’s health portfolio grows, we’re experimenting with ways to uncover scientific discoveries and engage potential funders and partners.

“We’re committed to connecting investigators with physicians and industry partners to seed collaborations that will bring promising discoveries to the patient,” said Wilson. “Beyond our Symposium, we want to create opportunities for scientists to share information and ideas that will accelerate IBD research.”

Mark your calendar for the next Innovations Symposium which will take place on July 16-17, 2018 in San Francisco. Visit our website to see a list of confirmed speakers. Registration opens in January.

Poster Sessions

Rainin Foundation grantees and selected presenters had the unique opportunity to share their research and ideas during the Innovations Symposium. Click to expand and see a list of the abstracts presented.

Bioengineering

Ignacio Bon, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), “Efficacy of endoscopic placement of a drug-eluting platform with infliximab for the treatment of mucosal lesions in a rat model of experimental colitis”

John Chang, University of California, San Diego, “Edible immunomodulatory algae as a therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease: the EAT IBD study”